Post-modern Pockets
FIT AAS Capstone (2023)
role
Designer
skills of note
draping, pattern making, textile design, sewing
ABOUT
Capstone Theme: Post-Modernism
Pockets hold agency, privacy, and confidence for the wearer. They are details that bring together utility and design in fashion. But pockets that prioritize functionality are often reserved for menswear. Christian Dior encapsulates this best when he said "men have pockets to keep things in, women for decoration."
Through my garment, I engaged with this quote satirically by creating private spaces in typically decorative motifs of womenswear. There is are enclosures in the hips of the skirt, a part of the female form that is often accentuated and exaggerated to create an ideaized feminine silhouette. On the blouse, I used a traditionally hyper-feminine polka dot pattern as a guideline for placing circular, zippered pockets which allow the user to carry items hidden within a pattern.
MOOD
surface design
I wanted to focus on subverting the polka dot so explored pairing it with a stripe, a bold pattern often associated with mens suiting.
silhouette
I wanted to create a hyper-feminine form a la Christian Dior’s New Look but use the volume created to achieve this silhouette to create secret enclosures. In effect, the sexualized silhouette would provide the wearer with more agency.
RESEARCH
inspiration
I was initially inspired by the ‘What’s in my bag’ videos, often published on youtube by fashion magazines, because a purse and its contents give a window into the femininity of preparedness. With functionality on my mind, I researched the works of Miuccia Prada and Elsa Schiaparelli who both played with the juxtaposition between utility and womenswear. Miuccia dealt with it directly by giving women the power of hands free mobility via the Prada nylon backpack while Schiaparelli use utility satirically by designing a women’s jacket to resemble a bureau. Both designers were grappling with the inequity of the suit versus the apron and inspired me think of a way to subvert utility within a hyper-feminine form.
surface design
I wanted to focus on subverting the polka dot so explored pairing it with a stripe, a bold pattern often associated with mens suiting.
INITIAL DRAPE
silhouette
My goal was to create an exaggerated female silhouette that was modern and interesting. This required pair the femininity of a bateau neck with a broad shoulder and the angularity of the skirt with the split side seam of top.
construction
I didn’t want to add any padding or an additional undergarment to create volume in the shoulder or hip. I used a cowl drape as a starting point and realized the combination of a stiffer fabric and ‘closing’ the cowl gave the garment enough structure to keep its shape.
POCKETS
construction
I created 70 pockets total. Each were made from 5 pieces. I cut every piece out by shape, sewed all the zippers in, and sewed the top and bottom circles onto the zippered middle.
application
I hand-sewed each pocket onto the shirt then attached the lining and closed the hems.
TOP DEVELOPMENT
fabric composition
100% Cotton Twill base, 100% Silk Faille pockets, Rayon lining
construction
The top was constructed out of 100% cotton twill and finished with a rayon lining. It has princess line seams, a bateau neck that extends into an exaggerated shoulder, and has a split side seam that can be adjusted via invisible zippers on either side seam. There is another invisible zipper at center back so the wearer can put the top on.
SKIRT DEVELOPMENT - SURFACE
fabric composition
100% Cotton Cotiele, Silk Grosgrain Ribbon
textile design
I sewed on 5/8” grosgrain ribbon to the skirt pieces before assembling the garment. I drafted the ribbon placement on the paper pattern and notched where it would end up hitting on the fabric so I could place the ribbon correctly.
TAKEAWAYS
accolades
Selected to be part of the 2023 AAS Fashion Design Capstone Show
